Have you ever visited the national lake that is located in southeastern region of the Shan State in Myanmar? The lake is renowned as the Innlay Lake and geologists have estimated that it originated about 400 years ago. This is also one of the most wonderful and fascinating places for your recreation.

Let’s say you have arrived there by passing through Nyaung Shwe where you can put up in first class hotels and resorts. For instance, the ambience and the hospitability of the Ho Pin Hotel will freshen you up both mentally and physically.

If you do not wish to stop over at Nyaung Shwe, you may travel direct to a place called Innlay Khaung Taing (only five mile away) where you can take a rest. There are also hot springs there, where you can have a dip to improve your health. Since the natural spa is quite close to Innlay Khaung Taing you can visit it easily.

Innlay Khaung Taing hotel is built half on land and half under water with well-structured buildings. You can take a rest at houses made of teak, inn kanyin, cane or bamboo, materials that are forest products of Myanmar. The fragrance of wood or bamboo will surround you.

If not, if you wish to familiarize yourself with the traditional customs of Innlay, you may do so by making yourself comfortable in the individual houses of the floating villages. Moreover, you may take a rest at the bungalow in the middle of the Innlay Lake, the so called “the sea above the mountain”.

Here, you can enjoy the floating green vegetable gardens, watch fishermen with tall cone nets for catching fish, on slender boats. You might also be amazed and fascinated by the large and strongly built floating houses. You are now in the southern part of the lake, and you are being welcomed by groups of friendly Innlay people in their traditional Innlay houses, most of them built on tall stilts above the water.

Will you be surprised if this place is supposed to be a hotel? Nevertheless, it is the well-known “Golden Floating Hotel”. These houses built with logs and bamboos reflect the water-loving nature of the traditional Innlay people.With the setting sun, the entertainment programme of the hotel begins.

When you watch the traditional dances, to the rhythmic beat of the Shan long drum and gong, you are certain to be captivated by the haunting music and the beauty of the dances. This, you will realize, is the true spirit and essence of the pleasure you are seeking amid the Innlay Lake.